SBY Controversy: President Who Multiple Positions Becomes Chairman Of The Party

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who served as President of Indonesia from the 2004-2014 era. (Facebook Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono)

JAKARTA - State officials actually have a big role to play in serving the Indonesian people. Everything because the affairs of regulating the country cannot be underestimated. Totality in working is needed. This means that a state official from minister to regional head is prohibited from holding concurrent positions.

The performance of officials has been at stake. Later, matters of concurrent positions were actually injured by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). He even became an example of a concurrent position official. He served as President of Indonesia as well as Chairman of the Democratic Party.

As a tough government official. Moreover, at the ministerial level. They must be able to carry out their specific role properly. This condition is because the policies they make have a big influence on the lives of many people. Recently, the same narrative applies to regional heads.

The regulation can be seen in Law Number 39 of 2008 concerning the Ministry of State. The regulation emphasizes that ministers are prohibited from holding concurrent positions. In fact, the President of Indonesia can dismiss when there are ministers who have concurrent positions.

The problem of concurrent positions of officials also strengthened in the era of the SBY government. The President of SBY from the 2004-2014 era often upholds the rules. This condition was seen when the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Jero Wacik, held concurrent positions.

At that time, Jero also served as Head of the Temporary Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas (SKSP Migas), formerly known as BP Migas. Jero's tenure made the public ask President SBY to take immediate action.

SBY immediately summoned and reprimanded Jero, who incidentally was a Democratic Party cadre, for direct confirmation. SBY is afraid that concurrent positions will make his government's credibility fall. However, after being traced, SBY gave the green light.

This condition is because Jero's position in SKSP Migas is only temporary in accordance with the interpretation of the Constitutional Court (MK) is allowed. Alias, Jero only fills the transition era from BP Migas to SKSP Migas. Jero's position itself will soon be replaced when the new SKSP Migas has been chosen by the government.

"Earlier, the president summoned me to report on the development of the Oil and Gas Decree after 1.5 months, now a better arrangement is being prepared. This is what the president is asking to prepare for a better arrangement, for example, is this dual position good? ?

"If the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources is concurrently good? Evaluation from me, I will report everything later. We are discussing how not to be concurrently but still well controlled," said Jero as quoted on the Kontan page, January 3, 2013.

The case of Jero's concurrent position has subsided. This condition is because the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Mahfud MD, also strengthens the view that ministers may hold concurrent positions for temporary positions. However, other problems arise.

This time the issue of concurrent positions did not come from the minister, but the President of Indonesia himself. The issue of SBY will hold concurrent positions with the vacant position of the Chairman of the Democratic Party. This vacancy was because the chairman of the previous Democratic Party, Anas Urbaningrum, was caught in a corruption case.

Democratic officials have begun to push for SBY's name as the new Democratic Chairman because of his popularity. Moreover, the Democratic Party will compete in the 2014 elections.

SBY's dual position at the Extraordinary Democratic Party Congress at Inna Grand Bali Beach Hotel, Sanur, Denpasar, Bali on March 30, 2013. SBY was appointed as Chairman of the Democratic Party. SBY's appointment became a polemic. Criticism and criticism rained down on SBY, from legal figures to politicians.

This condition is because SBY is known to be active in reprimanding his ministers to attach importance to the interests of the state, not the party. SBY's tenure is considered to be a balance because SBY is considered to be able to prioritize the interests of the party, rather than the state.

However, the Democrat party argued that the appointment of SBY as chairman was a form of saving the Democratic Party. SBY is also considered to be able to divide time so that conflicts of interest can be avoided.

SBY's tenure is indeed ethically problematic. However, there is no rule that emphasizes that the President of Indonesia should not hold concurrent positions according to ministerial regulations. The government was urged to contain rules so that the President of Indonesia would not hold multiple positions in the future like SBY.

"In his statement, SBY stated that his efforts were a form of saving the Democratic Party, he was ready to accept criticism. This shows that SBY has put the interests of the party ahead of the interests of the nation and state," said Director of the Indonesian Madani Circle, Ray Rangkuti as quoted by the COMPASS.com page, April 3, 2013.